Ball-release for game apparatus.



G. L. CHATFIELD.

BALL RELEASE FOR GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1911.

1 270,5 9 5 Patented J une 25, 1918.

UNI ED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

'IURING- COMPANY, OF IN' DIANAPOLIS INDIANA, A CORPORATION.

BALL-RELEASE .ron GAME arrnnn'rus.

I To all whom may 06mm.-

Be it known thatI, Gnonen L. CHA'I'E'IEID,

Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and...

State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Releases for Game Apparatus, of whichthe following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to a device for releasin a determined number of balls for that c ass of ame apparatuses employing an inclined a ley upon which balls are pitched by a player to produce'the highest possible score with'an allotted number of balls; and one of the objects of the invention consists in the provision of certain means whereby, after the spent balls have been collected together at the layers end of the alley, a determined num er of balls allotted each player can be delivered to him gratis or at a fixed rate of charge, this depending whether the apparatus is installed for producin a source of revenue or not.

A fi irther object of the invention consists in the provision of a ball releasing device for, game apparatuses which is simple in construction, efiicient in operation and economical to manufacture.

I accomplish the above objects of the invention, and such others as may appear from a perusal ofthe specification and claims, by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a' part hereof, in wh1ch- Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail view in side elevation of the players end of the game apparatus, showing the position occupied by my invention.- Fig. 2 1s a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, on the line 22 in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is afragmentary detail view partly in top plan of the alley and partly in section showing my invention expose Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the frame-work of the apparatus for keeping the balls within prescribed limits, and 11 a floor upon which the balls are rolled by the players. Alley floor 11 is elevated at its dischar e end so as to return the spent balls to the fiayers end by' gravity. When a ball 12 is pitched andleaves the dlscharge end of floor 11 it returns to the players end ofthe alley in a suitable race-way 15 located beneath floor 11. In this position balls 12 are out of reach of the players for the reason Patented June 25, 1918.

that race-way 15 is inclosed by the framework of the apparatus. The object of the present invention is to uniformly remove a determined number of balls from the balls collected in race-way 15 and deliver them to the player as fast as he uses them. By means of this arrangement one player can take no advantage of another player, which would be possible if a greater number of balls were delivered to one player than to another. To accomplish the above result, I sever race-Way 15 transversely at A and B so as to provide a movable section which is designated 18, this movable section 18 being of a length to coincide with the combined diameters of the number ofballs allotted each player, which in the present case, is ten balls. Arranged adjacent and parallel With movable section 18 is a secondary ball receiving race-way 20 adapted to receive end of movable section 18, thereby estab-.

lishing a point for uniformly starting the column of balls collected in race-way 15 to be dumped into the ball receiving race-way 20. Section 18 is provided with a, fixed actuator-arm25 having an eye 26 of con-" siderable size in its free end, the said eye making a loose fitting coupling with the crank-arm 27 of rock-shaft 28 which extends transversely through the side wall of the apparatus structure. The outer end of rock-shaft 28 preferably engages a crankarm- 29, and by means of a connecting-rod 30 said crank-arm is connected and actuated by a hand-lever 32 arranged externally of the frame and nearer the players end of the alley. vIt will be readily understood, and especially so when examining the dotted position of the parts in Fig. 2, that when hand-lever 32 is moved in the proper direc- GEORGE L. CHA'IFIEIJD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR '10 BRIAN! MANUFAC- tion, rock-shaft 28 will move crank-arm 27 a distance to sufiicientlydepress fixed arm 55 g "from thelatter,

' tion,

To prevent movable section 18 from being operated a second time before the receiving section 20 is free 015 balls, which would enable one layer to receive a greater number of balls tlian his allotted number, I provide a rocker-arm which extends through the side of the frame and terminates in a rightadapted to rest squarely .upon the balls .12 in the raceway 20, below. Rocker-arm 20 is provided on its outer end with a lever 42 through which it is oscillated from thehandlever 32 by means of a connecting-bar 45. When hand-lever 32 is moved so as to cause race-way 18 to dump balls 12 into race-way 20, flattened end 41 of rocker-arm 40 W11]. be depressed suliiciently into race-way 20 to form a temporary stop and prevent any ,of the newl delivered balls from rolling out into pocliet 35. After the balls are dischargedfrom race-way 18, hand-lever 32 s actuated to return sectlon 18 to normal'posiat the same time the flattened end of rocker-arm 40 is elevated to allow the. newly delivered balls to move toward pocket 35. The, line ofballs in race-way 20 now extends under the flattened end 41 of rocker-arm 40 and these balls act as a stop to prevent hand-lever 32 from being operated until the balls in race-way 20 are exhausted, thereby preventing a player from receiving '1 a number of balls in excess of his allotment. a If it is desired to operate the game for of a ball raceeway comprising a xed and a ,Patent, is-- revenue, a suitable coin controlling device can be employed for controlling the move- ,ment of hand-lever 32 by means of a 0on link 51.

nectin I g thusfully described my said in-' 1. The combination with a ame apparatus including an alley for r0 1n the balls,

1 movable section fior returning the spent balls to the player end of the alley, and means for oscillating the movable section for discharg- I fingthe balls from the latter..

. the race-wayyand means for oscillatin 2. The combination with a ame apparatus including an alley for rol mg the balls,

ofa ball race-way comprising a fixed and a movable section for returnin the spent balls to, the player end of the a leyi' means foif". e section 0 pivotallymounting said movab the movable section for discharging the angle arm having its end flattened, as at 41,

,ceiving section arranged adjacently to said movable section, and means for oscillating 'tus including an alley for the pitche of a ball return race-way comprising a fixed alls . 3. The combination with a game ap aratus including an alley for the pitched alls of a ball return race-way comprising a fixed and a movable section,-means for arresting the returning balls at a determined end of the alley for actuating the movable pace-way for discharging. the balls thererom. v

the alley for actuating the movable race-way I I for discharging the balls transversely therefrom. I 5. The combination with a game a paraof a ball return race-way comprising a fixed and a movable section, means for pivotally I mounting said movable section, a ball rethe movable section for discharging the balls from the latter into said receiving race-way. 6. The combination with .a game apparatus including an alley for the pitched balls, of a ball return race-way comprising a fixed and a movable section, means for pivotally mounting said movable section, a ball receiving race-way arranged adjacently of said movable section, a movable actuator for oscillating said movable section for dumping the balls'therefrom into the receivin race-way, and means engaging the dumped balls in the receiving. race-way for lockmg said movable actuator. 7. The combination with a game a parad alls,

and a movable section, means for pivotally mounting said movable section, a ball re- 100 ceiving section arranged'adjacently to said movable section,'m eans for oscillating said movable section for dumping the balls from the latter into the, receiving race-way, and

a pocket arranged exteriorly of the 'apparas 105 tus and communicating with the end of the ball receiving race-way for rendering the balls in the latter accessible to the player.

In wltness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana. 110

GEORGE "L. CHATFIELD. 1,. 5.

os1- t1on, and means arranged near the p ayer 4. The combination with a game ap ara- '15- tus including an alley for the pitche balls, 

